Have you ever wondered why domestic violence agencies across the United States uniformly use the color purple to bring awareness to their cause? Different organizations use unique colors to highlight and market what they champion. Breast cancer uses pink, Livestrong cancer survivors wear yellow, domestic violence uses purple. Why purple? For starters, it's the color [].
Representing domestic violence awareness with the color purple started organically decades ago, and continues to grow in popularity. Any shade of purple works, but deeper hues often convey greater power and meaning. For domestic violence, the color of choice is purple, which got its roots before domestic violence was even a movement people acknowledged.
"The women's suffrage movement utilized purple, white and gold in the early 1900s as those were the colors of the National Women's Party," says Rose M. Garrity, board president of National Coalition. The association between the domestic violence awareness movement and the color purple is also used as a way of remembering and honoring the victims and survivors of domestic violence.
Domestic violence reform advocates utilize the color purple as a means to raise awareness of the issue and show survivors they are not alone. One of them is: "The U.S. Military awards a purple heart to those who have been wounded in service.
According to Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, "for survivors of Domestic Violence, who may also be wounded both physically and emotionally, the color is meant to be a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor, and dedication to ending. The color of a shade on a color wheel, the color of a wildflower on a hill country road, and the color for the awareness of Domestic Violence. But the shade of purple we tend to forget the most is the color of the bruises we can't see underneath out clothes.
The association between the domestic violence awareness movement and the color purple is also used as a way of remembering and honoring the victims and survivors of domestic violence. The natural progression has only solidified the hue's presence among domestic violence shelters and advocacy organizations. "Today I believe the purple to be quickly recognizable.
There's a lot of use of the color in the movement and people know what it means," she says. For centuries, the color has been associated with power, dignity, and courage-traits that resonate deeply with the fight against domestic violence. It represents the strength and resilience of survivors and reminds us that help, hope, and healing are always possible.
In 2006, Victoria presented the idea of a Purple Light Nights® campaign to the Covington DVTF for October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Knowing that purple is the symbolic color of domestic violence, the task force embraced the unique concept and the Purple Light Nights® campaign was conceived.